Speeding Camera Ticket question

[NINJABABY]

So we got couple of speeding camera tickets.

The question is will it help if we pled no guilty and go to court?

Thanks

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by NINJABABY

So we got couple of speeding camera tickets.

The question is will it help if we pled no guilty and go to court?

Thanks

Yes. You usually don’t even have to go to court. Just go to the courthouse. Talk to the clerk.

[NINJABABY]

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Yes. You usually don’t even have to go to court. Just go to the courthouse. Talk to the clerk.

So what does that do for the ticket? Reduce the cost? Technically even a camera ticket needs to be disclosed when you renew your insurance from what I heard.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

So what does that do for the ticket? Reduce the cost? Technically even a camera ticket needs to be disclosed when you renew your insurance from what I heard.

Nope! Only demerits. Don’t give your insurance company another reason to charge you extra money.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

So what does that do for the ticket? Reduce the cost? Technically even a camera ticket needs to be disclosed when you renew your insurance from what I heard.

Yup. The clerk will reduce it.

[NINJABABY]

I just to mention again that it was an "Automatic camera ticket" and not a pull over a ticket.

Will the clerk still be able to reduce it?

[Fradaburidi]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Yes. You usually don’t even have to go to court. Just go to the courthouse. Talk to the clerk.

[Fradaburidi]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Yup. The clerk will reduce it.

Always trust a talking moose.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Yes. You usually don’t even have to go to court. Just go to the courthouse. Talk to the clerk.

I believe this changed a year or so ago. From what I remember reading, they will no longer reduce fines.

I don't even think you can appear in person anymore except for a court date, and the only way to get a court date is to email a "not guilty" plea.
I've been wrong before though.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by NINJABABY

So we got couple of speeding camera tickets.

The question is will it help if we pled no guilty and go to court?

Thanks

Are you thinking of pleading Not Guilty because you weren't speeding, or because you were and just don't want to pay the price.
Asking for clarity.

[Ebrand]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

I believe this changed a year or so ago. From what I remember reading, they will no longer reduce fines.

I don't even think you can appear in person anymore except for a court date, and the only way to get a court date is to email a "not guilty" plea.
I've been wrong before though.

Following the instructions on the ticket will get you a trial date if you wish.

[sewerrat]

Had one a few years ago in Red deer, I went to the court date and before the court start you can talk to the Crown Prosecutor you make a deal with him either reduce the fine but in return you get demerit points.
and the crown prosecutor will speak to the judge on your behalf.

So just suck it and pay the fine or trade the fine in for demerit points.

If its a photo radar ticket there isn't a heck they can do because they don't have your drivers license because they don't know who was driving your vehicle.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

I believe this changed a year or so ago. From what I remember reading, they will no longer reduce fines.

I don't even think you can appear in person anymore except for a court date, and the only way to get a court date is to email a "not guilty" plea.
I've been wrong before though.

Good to know.
Sorry op. Guess it changed.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

Had one a few years ago in Red deer, I went to the court date and before the court start you can talk to the Crown Prosecutor you make a deal with him either reduce the fine but in return you get demerit points.
and the crown prosecutor will speak to the judge on your behalf.

So just suck it and pay the fine or trade the fine in for demerit points.

If its a photo radar ticket there isn't a heck they can do because they don't have your drivers license because they don't know who was driving your vehicle.

There is a lot of incorrect info here but I'll just say this, swapping a fine for demerits is not done. Photo Radar tickets cannot have demerit points here.

[ak77]

1. Mail in the ticket with NG plea. They will schedule the court date for you. There have been a few instances in last couple of years when the prosecution withdraws the charges at this point.
2. About a month before new court date request full disclosure. Most likely they will send it to you (they have to), but again, it's possible the prosecution will withdraw charges at that point.
3. You get to request one adjournment. They will grant it to you. Yet again, it's possible they withdraw the charges at this point.
4. Go to court. It's possible the other side will not show up, then the charges are dropped. If they do it's possible they will offer you reduced penalty at that point. If anything, you didn't have to pay the ticket for a couple of years.

Have to weigh in the pros and cons of going to court. Will it cost you money to take a day off?
No, it doesn't show up on your driving record; it is issued to the vehicle license plate and to the registered owner. As such you don't have to disclose that ticket to the insurance because it's impossible to prove who was driving the vehicle.
No, they don't make deals anymore before trials

CBintheNorth Do you have the problem with anyone following due legal process of having legal right to have one's day in court to face the accuser or you just rode by on your high horse and decided to put in your .02c? Asking for the clarity...

They're number of proven cases when the photo radar equipment was calibrated wrong, when the mobile camera operators were sleeping on the job or were absent altogether, etc...

Ps. Not a legal advice, about 50% personal experience, and 50% research.

[-JR-]

Does not matter who was driving the car . The owner of the car gets the ticket with no points . Not worth taking the day off of work to fight it .

[Talking moose]

Ya, unless I was on scheduled days off and I lived next door to the courthouse, I’d just pay it.
Days off are to valuable.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by ak77

CBintheNorth Do you have the problem with anyone following due legal process of having legal right to have one's day in court to face the accuser or you just rode by on your high horse and decided to put in your .02c? Asking for the clarity...

Ps. Not a legal advice, about 50% personal experience, and 50% research.

High horse... lol. Some of you guys need to stop looking for conflict under every corner.
To answer your question, yes, everyone deserves the ability to attend a trial for any accusation.

My question on why he was asking was sincere. Depending on how he answered would have altered my response.
I wouldn't suggest debating a ticket that I knew was accurate and true, the same as I would one that I knew to be given wrongly. Would you agree?

Doesn't really matter as I'm pretty sure the OP will only come along periodically , and poke this thread with a stick.

[sewerrat]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

There is a lot of incorrect info here but I'll just say this, swapping a fine for demerits is not done. Photo Radar tickets cannot have demerit points here.

Well I could get the fine reduced or take a demerit points either way it stings
I was talking to a crown prosecutor at the Red Deer court ( in the Red deer Lodge).

I'm just speaking from my experience.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

Well I could get the fine reduced or take a demerit points either way it stings
I was talking to a crown prosecutor at the Red Deer court ( in the Red deer Lodge).

I'm just speaking from my experience.

This was the judge that offered this deal, or the prosecutor?

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by ak77

1. Mail in the ticket with NG plea. They will schedule the court date for you. There have been a few instances in last couple of years when the prosecution withdraws the charges at this point.
2. About a month before new court date request full disclosure. Most likely they will send it to you (they have to), but again, it's possible the prosecution will withdraw charges at that point.
3. You get to request one adjournment. They will grant it to you. Yet again, it's possible they withdraw the charges at this point.
4. Go to court. It's possible the other side will not show up, then the charges are dropped. If they do it's possible they will offer you reduced penalty at that point. If anything, you didn't have to pay the ticket for a couple of years.

The only issue is that this whole circus costs thousands of dollars to the taxpayers while saving $20-50 bucks to the offender. If not guilty, sure, it is worth it. If simply trying to save a few dollars, you will likely spend a lot more of your time that is likely more valuable and cost much more money to the province to deal with this.

Also, if only to talk to the prosecutor, expect to spent a few hours (~2-3 hours at least); if going in front of the judge to fight it, expect to spend the whole day.

[pittman]

Not worth the time...

[Off in the Bushes]

Check the ticket but you might be able to fight/ get it reduced via email. As you can email the crown requesting a reduction.

[ak77]

Originally Posted by fishnguy

The only issue is that this whole circus costs thousands of dollars to the taxpayers while saving $20-50 bucks to the offender. If not guilty, sure, it is worth it. If simply trying to save a few dollars, you will likely spend a lot more of your time that is likely more valuable and cost much more money to the province to deal with this.

Also, if only to talk to the prosecutor, expect to spent a few hours (~2-3 hours at least); if going in front of the judge to fight it, expect to spend the whole day.

Now, first of all, thanks to CBintheNorth for answering my question to me on the lighter note ...

Same question to you fishnguy... Do you have the problem people exercising their rights to have their day in court? Should we impose the threshold based on "cost to taxpayers" on things we can do? Not to mention that I am, just as (hopefully) NinjaBaby, are those taxpayers, and the taxes that we are paying are used to to provide those services??? And let's not forget that everyone's not guilty until proven otherwise. Or did I miss the memo and we live in North Korea now?
And no, it doesn't take whole day on court. I was in and out in under an hour. Based on those conversations with people who were offered a deal by prosecution right outside the court room it doesn't take long either... "Hey, the fee is $150, how about guilty plea for $99.95 and we don't have to waste your, mine, and judge's time?"

As i said in the end... See what that one day on court is worth to you and compare it to the penalty... Math isn't that hard...

[fishnguy]

Ak77, I am all for exercising rights and the more the merrier. Did myself when I wasn't guilty. The point I was making is that if a guy knows he is guilty, he should pay instead of going for a twenty-dollar reduction because the circus is expensive and costs a lot of money to the taxpayers. I’d compare it to breaking a window in the vehicle to get a twenty as it often happens.

The 2-3 hours it will take is an average time. The circus was described by me in fair amount of detail in this thread: http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=407308

[huntinstuff]

I got one last year
Set a trial date
I plead insanity
They looked me over, agreed, and I walked out with no fine. It was awesome

[fishnguy]

Lol

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by pittman

Not worth the time...

That's what they count on. My theory is, if everyone went to court, they might decide the milk from the Cash Cow is just too expensive.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I got one last year
Set a trial date
I plead insanity
They looked me over, agreed, and I walked out with no fine. It was awesome

That is pure genius! I will keep that one in mind!